I’m Alex Kempler (she/they), a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at The Ohio State University broadly interested in urban and community sociology, social movements, and housing sociology.

My research examines how community members, such as housing insecure individuals, unhoused individuals, and service providers, mobilize for housing rights. My dissertation will explore the resurgence of encampments on the West Coast, focusing specifically on the “Stop the Sweeps” Movement, which aims to stop encampment sweeps in a variety of cities across the country. My work also explores housing rights and policy more broadly, looking at topics like the evolution of eviction policy during the COVID-19 pandemic and housing policy changes related to the Violence Against Women Act.